


The Bond

by gingayellow



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-29 17:19:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15077993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: In which Allura's rescue of Shiro's spirit doesn't go perfectly, and she needs a piece of someone's soul to complete her work. Surprising no one, Keith volunteers. Afterwards, he and Shiro try to figure out what this new complexity in their already deep bond means for them. [Shiro/Keith, AU, spoilers for S6! CW in the header]





	The Bond

Title: The Bond  
Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender  
Characters/Pairing: Shiro/Keith  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: Mentions past trauma/death  
Notes: Written for hc_bingo, prompt is "unexpected consequences of planned soulbonding." Spoilers for S6!

 

Allura places her hands against the Black Lion, inhaling deeply… and then she freezes. “We have a problem.”

Keith can’t allow himself to fall apart over the idea that Shiro can’t come back after all. “What do you mean.”

“His spirit is in the Lion, yes, but it’s… fragmented. I don’t know how else to explain it.” She steps away from the Lion, rubbing at her eyes. “I’m going to need something else to complete the work.”

Keith’s fingers curl around Shiro’s shoulder. Shiro, who’s still unresponsive—probably some left over command from Haggar when Shiro had the gall to resist her. “I’ll get it, I’ll get it immediately—"

“It’s not that easy, Keith. I’m not even sure if it’s morally acceptable.” She sighs heavily. “I’m going to need a large amount of quintessence.” She won’t look Keith in the eye. “Essentially, I need a part of someone’s soul to bond to Shiro.”

“Mine,” Keith doesn’t miss a beat. “Take part of mine.” Shiro already had part of Keith’s soul; this would just make it official.

“Somehow, I thought you’d say that.” Allura is almost smiling. “But you need to know what this involves. I’m merging your essences together.” She clasps her hands for emphasis. “You’ll be bonded to Shiro, and vice-versa, for the rest of your lives. It’s a connection as deep as a Paladin to their lion. You will understand each other in way that may frighten you or make you comfortable. You’ll know things about Shiro you never would share with anyone else. He’ll know things about you that you would never share with anyone else.”

“So.” Hunk’s voice is raw, but that curiosity still remains. “They’re getting psychically married?”

“In a way, yes.” Allura takes a steadying breath. “But it’s also draining. Keith, I cannot guarantee your survival if I do this.”

“Maybe,” Lance is still crying. “M-maybe we can all give a little of ourselves. We could take the strain off Keith.”

“I’m for that.” Pidge looks much older than her true age right now. “Shiro’s why my brother is still alive. I have a debt to repay—”

“It has to be Keith, I’m sorry.” Allura’s voice is gentle but leaves no room for argument. “He’s the only one with a deep enough connection for this to possibly work.”

There’s really only one question for Keith. “If I do this, will Shiro be okay?”

“Yes.”

Keith gazes at his mother. He’s known her long enough to tell that she’s not happy, but she also understands sacrifice for someone you love.

Then he looks at Shiro, still dead to the world. Waiting for someone to save him.

“Let’s do this.”

“Very well, then.” Allura’s hands only tremble slightly as she places them over Keith’s heart and—and good lord, he’s freezing, he’s exhausted, it—it’s like that time when his quintessence was almost completely drained away, and he’s fading, just when Zarkon—

Just like when Zarkon killed Shiro.

And Keith had failed to save him.

He won’t pass out. He’s going to make sure Allura completes the ceremony. He’s relieved but refuses to even close his eyes when Allura’s own blue eyes glow, or when Shiro’s hair grows and turns snow white, a sign that the quintessence is taking.

Shiro looks up at him, and whispers that Keith has found him.

Now it’s over. Now Keith can rest.

\--

“Keith.”

_Shiro._

His eyes flutter open, and he is lying on a small bed in a small room. The décor looks Olkarian. That must have been where Allura took them. That made sense.

And Shiro is hovering over him, one-armed and white hair, so it wasn’t a weird dream, Shiro's safe, Shiro's **safe** …

“Easy, buddy.” It takes more time since Shiro is currently one-handed, but he helps Keith sit up. “You’ve been out for two days.”

Oh. “How is everyone?” His voice is rough, but oh well.

“Okay, all things considered. Our mechanics are working on a ship that could get us to Earth. Romelle’s helping them; Pidge has taken her under her wing. Your mother and Allura are trying to figure out what the Empire’s doing now that they’ve lost another Emperor, and Lance is making sure that Allura doesn’t overwork herself.”

“Of course he is.” Still, he was glad. It was clear that Lance cared for her, and Keith was glad he was there for her. “What about you Shiro?”

“Oh, you know. Trying to get used to the whole ‘not dead’ thing. Feeding your dog.” On cue, Link appeared at the bed. Shiro reaches out to stroke his fur. “We’ve become good friends.”

“I’m glad.” Keith scritches Link’s ears. “Ya know, after what Allura said, I thought we’d be joined at the hip or something.” Well, moreso than usual. “I don’t feel you brain in my brain or anything like that. Do you?” There’s a strange, steady warmth in his chest, but that’s about it.

“No,” Shiro confesses, but it’s clear that there’s something else going on. Keith can feel it.

“Shiro. You know that you can tell me anything, right?”

Keith’s ready for a fight, but for once, Shiro admits what’s wrong right away. “I remember. Everything. I remember that you said you loved me, and after what Allura did, I… can feel it. I can feel your love for me.”

Keith stills. If Shiro can feel that, then maybe that warmth in his chest is… but something’s wrong. Shiro’s not happy. “Shiro. If… if you don’t feel the same way, I accept that.” It’ll hurt, but his feeling don’t matter right now. “I did this to save you. I don’t except anything else.”

“Oh, Keith.” Shiro’s never spoken so softly in Keith’s life. He’s also never taken Keith’s hand and pressed it against his cheek. “It’s not that. But after what I did, I don’t deserve your love.”

“What Haggar did,” Keith reminds him firmly.

“Doesn’t matter,” Shiro counters. “I just—I’m sorry, I have to go.”

When he was younger, Keith would have run after him. Beg to know what was wrong, and how to fix it so Shiro wouldn’t leave him like the others. But he is a little older now, and knew that like it or not, Shiro needed time to process this. Breathing down his neck wasn’t going to help anyone.

That said, he is also old enough to realize that Shiro would probably get kidnapped or whatever again if he spent too much time alone, so… “Link.” The wolf gazes at Keith steadily. “Keep an eye on Shiro, okay.” The wolf disappears. 

\--

Keith’s skimming one of Coran’s reports when he felt it. An intense wave of unease, followed by a stabbing pain in his head. It dulls almost immediately, but that doesn’t help. He knows, he just knows that Shiro’s in trouble—

Link appears at the door. Keith grabs his belt (with his knife), Shiro’s bayard, and places his free hand on Link’s fur. “Take me to him.”

\--

“Hey,” Shiro deadpans, lying on the ground, body bound by vines.

“Hey, yourself.” Keith whips out his knife. “I. How did this happen? This is a bit much, even for you, Shiro.”

“I volunteered to get some supplies from the forest. But I guess this tree wasn’t ready to give them.” He stills as Keith carefully cuts the vines. He helps Shiro upright. “I guess even when I try to make it so you don’t have to save me, you save me.” Shiro smiles bitterly.

“It’s weird.” Yes, Link alerted him, but… “I felt it.” Keith places a hand over his heart. “Here.”

“Oh.” Even the bitter smile fades. “Then do you think that’s part of the bond? You know when I’m in trouble?”

“Shiro, if we’ve truly bonded, you know that’s not a problem for me. If anything, it gives me an edge over a universe that’s always trying to take you from me.”

Shiro actually laughs at that. “Heh. Yeah.” Then he grows quiet again. “Then it better work both ways, because I love you too, and I’m not leaving your side again.”

He’s felt it, but hearing it is a whole other thing. “Shiro…”

He smiles again, and it’s a little sad, but the bitterness is gone. “I, um, had some time to think while I was tied up. And I've realized I may feel lousy, but I wanna be with you."

"Shiro..."

"I… have some stuff to work through, as you know now. But I’m going to work to be worthy of your love.”

He already is, Keith knows as Shiro kisses him. 

\--

Final Notes: (1) I am never writing in present again. D:< and (2) Lance's offer that they all give a bit of themselves was inspired by the 90s X-men cartoon and the Dark Phoenix Saga, because I am old.


End file.
